Literacy

At Box Hill North Primary School, we have a whole-school approach to literacy ensuring continuity of teaching strategies from Foundation (Prep), through to Year 6.

The English curriculum aims to ensure that students:

Learn to listen to, read, view, speak, write, create and reflect on increasingly complex and sophisticated spoken, written and multimodal texts across a growing range of contexts with accuracy, fluency and purpose

Appreciate, enjoy and use the English language in all its variations and develop a sense of its richness and power to evoke feelings, convey information, form ideas, facilitate interaction with others, entertain, persuade and argue

Understand how Standard Australian English works in its spoken and written forms and in combination with non-linguistic forms of communication to create meaning

Develop interest and skills in inquiring into the aesthetic aspects of texts, and develop an informed appreciation of literature.

During literacy sessions, students develop their understanding and skills through a variety of small group, whole group and individual instruction, designed to cater for specific learning needs whilst encouraging each and every student to become independent readers and writers. Strong links are made between reading and writing and all students develop skills in a wide variety of genre.

At Box Hill North Primary School we follow the Victorian Curriculum from years Prep to Year 8 and adhere to the above aims of the English curriculum.

All teachers have developed a scope and sequence that outlines the key learning areas for Reading and Viewing, Writing and Speaking and Listening. We follow an Instructional Model which outlines our agreed mode of practice in planning, delivery and assessment of effective Literacy lessons across all year levels.

Reading Curriculum

From Prep to Year 6 each classroom has 4-5, 1 hour reading lessons per week

Students participate in independent reading during the reading hour, ranging from 10-20 minutes depending on the year level

Each classroom or double classroom has a classroom library which students regularly choose books from to read during independent reading. Books in the classroom library are regularly updated and borrowed from the school library

From Prep to Year 6 we focus on teaching students the most effective comprehension strategies for reading

Students participate in reading sessions using a Reader’s Notebook

Each year we participate in the Victorian Premier’s Reading Challenge and run a Literacy/ Numeracy day filled with fun activities and a book/maths character parade.

Writing Curriculum

From Prep to Year 6 each classroom has 4-5, 1 hour writing lessons per week.

Writing lessons can consist of:

Exploring the different writing genres

Using the Writing Cycle

Focus on the 6+1 Traits of Writing

Using our Writer’s Notebook to develop our ideas

Spelling and Grammar focus

Language experience followed by writing

Handwriting focus in years P-2 formation of letters, years 3-6 joining of the Victorian Modern Cursive font

Speaking and Listening Curriculum

Speaking and Listening is a very important part of the curriculum that BHNPS values across all year levels. To enhance this area of the curriculum BHNPS also completes the following:

Show and Tell (Prep)

CCC (Care, Communicate and Congratulate)

‘Me in a Bag’ presentations in years 1 and 2

Individual and group presentations

Debating

Our school also participates in the local Rotary Speech competition each year in years 5 and 6.

Literacy Support

Literacy support is offered to students from years Prep to Year 6 in all areas of the English curriculum. Students are taken out of the classroom independently or in small groups 1-2 times per week for up to hour.

It is refreshing that fathers are just as welcome as mothers in school life. From Kindergarten where I have the opportunity to participate in my youngest boy’s class to school camp that I was fortunate to attend, I have always been encouraged and warmly welcomed. I have also thoroughly enjoyed participating in class room help for all my boys.

ChrisKinder, Years 3, 4, 5

The move into the grade 5/6 area which is separate from the rest of the school gives the kids a real sense of being the ‘big kids’ and is a start to their transition to secondary school and being more responsible.

EmmaYear 6

The school garden is such a fantastic feature of our school. Garden Club students have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of gardening from the role of healthy soil to how to use silverbeet to make delicious pizzas. Science, nutrition and sustainability are explored in a truly hands on environment.

Kaylah AdamsFoundation teacher - Box Hill North Primary School

We run a progressive and innovative technology program to produce true 21st Century Citizens. Students in Prep enjoy using iPads and students in the senior school will be instructed with Ultrabooks as a part of our 1-to-1 program.